Top ISU administrators to take unpaid furloughs

Iowa State University president Gregory Geoffrey and other top administrators in Ames will take a week of unpaid leave as part of a budget-cutting move.

Cyclone Athletic director Jamie Pollard, basketball coaches Bill Fennelly and Greg McDermott as well as new football coach Paul Rhodes will take the five-day furloughs as well, saving a combined $50,000 in the athletic department’s budget.

Geoffrey issued a statement Wednesday, saying he’d considered furloughs for all ISU staff but it was just too difficult to implement across the entire campus. Cuts will be made in all areas of the university which receive state funding, and workers may volunteer for furloughs to help meet budget-cutting goals in various departments.

Geoffrey, all ISU vice presidents, deans and assistant provosts will be taking five days of unpaid furlough between now and June 30 as part of the university’s plan for absorbing the latest round of state budget cuts. ISU’s share of the budget cuts Governor Culver ordered in December is $4.2 million – a 1.5 percent cut.